Light Fortress Chapter 1685 - 366: Grand Judge (Part 1)

What sort of sensation arises from receiving a gift from the King of the Netherworld?

For Shen Li, the experience could be summarized in just two words: desperation.

He shut his eyes, resigned to his fate. Yet, unexpectedly, after Bai Lu pulled him into the alley, she did not brandish a whip as she had before.

Instead, the item she produced was a Spiritual Sealing Artifact. Upon its activation, a barrier materialized, encasing the entire alley.

Shen Li found himself bewildered. Why was Bai Lu behaving so differently this time?

A sense of unease permeated the air.

A profound sense of wrongness.

Once she ascertained they were unobserved,

The illumination within the alley seemed to falter, and the atmosphere grew peculiar.

"Boom!"

With her palm pressed against the wall, the Bai Family Witch cornered Shen Li, drawing him into a tight embrace. She fixed Little Iron Man with an intense glare, demanding, "Shen Li! Explain yourself! What was the meaning behind your words at the banquet?"

"I..."

Shen Li’s countenance was a mixture of emotions.

He engaged in an intense internal debate; the impulse to reveal the truth of the banquet was overwhelming.

However, Gu Shen's composed voice resonated within his Sea of Consciousness.

"Shen Li, for goodness sake, do not act rashly."

"I am aware of your thoughts."

"You wish to disclose everything, but trust me... Even if you speak the truth now, your predicament will not improve; it will only deteriorate further."

Bai Lu's Spirit Barrier stood no chance against Gu Shen...

He had already dispatched a wisp of Chi Huo the very instant the Bai Family Witch made her move.

Now, he was seated by Ninghe Bridge, leisurely savoring slices of watermelon, observing the unfolding drama while unhurriedly transmitting his voice: "Having been dragged into an alley, have you received a beating yet?"

Shen Li was momentarily stunned.

"Consider this carefully: why is Bai Lu refraining from striking you? And... would I ever seek to harm you?"

Shen Li was at a loss for words.

He maintained his silence.

Consequently, the already quiet alley became laden with an even more palpable awkwardness.

Gu Shen emitted a sigh of exasperation, "Is your mind truly filled with nothing but iron lumps? Have you not perceived that Miss Bai appears to harbor an interest in you?"

On hearing this, Shen Li was utterly astounded, his face contorted in disbelief.

"???"

He swiftly lifted his head, his gaze locking with Bai Lu's.

Gu Shen had meticulously investigated Bai Lu's history throughout her years in Changye. The Bai Family held dominion over the [Wind Eye], which allowed Chu Ling to trace its usage whenever Bai Lu activated it. Over the years, each time Shen Li returned from a mission at the dojo, Bai Lu would seek out Little Iron Man, ostensibly claiming an itch and a desire to annoy Shen Li, but in reality... those with understanding would comprehend.

There exists no individual so idle that they would solely bother one specific person.

Especially not with such persistence, irrespective of the prevailing weather conditions.

While Shen Li himself might not grasp Bai Lu's intentions, Gu Shen was not surprised.

He was well aware of Little Iron Man's singular devotion to Martial Arts.

Yet, to others... the intentions of the Witch of the Bai Family were glaringly apparent.

Even Chu Ling could discern that something was amiss with this persistent behavior.

Having illuminated this subtle layer of understanding,

Gu Shen finally felt a sense of relief. Though he might possess the leisure of a Divine Throne, he lacked the time to gratuitously play the role of a matchmaker. Were anyone other than the straightforward Shen Li involved, he would not have deigned to offer a single word.

Bai Lu was characteristically all bluster and no substance.

She had performed numerous acts of kindness for Shen Li, albeit silently. Chu Ling, by investigating the high-level authorization records of the Judgement Institute in recent years, uncovered a concealed matter: When Little Iron Man achieved the rank of "Fourth Judge," Bai Lu had implored her elder brother, Bai Chen, and her mentor, Mr. Shan, to intercede on his behalf.

Shen Li's martial prowess was advancing at a rapid pace, yet he was still young and deficient in practical experience.

For the preceding several years, Gu Shen had been immersed in the Ice Sea, leaving Shen Li without his "most formidable support."

Had the Judgement Institute relegated him to a waiting period of several more years before considering his promotion, it would have been entirely justifiable.

But following Bai Lu's leveraging of the Bai Family's influence...

Shen Li's promotion encountered no impediments whatsoever.

This significant favor, Gu Shen feigned ignorance of, yet he committed it to memory. Since Bai Lu held Shen Li in such high regard, why not endeavor to foster a connection between them?

Indeed.

Following Gu Shen's revelation, Shen Li's perception of Bai Lu underwent a transformation.

He raised his head.

Even for someone as dense as him, much became clear in that instant.

Shen Li cast his mind back through the preceding years...

He had been wholly absorbed in his rigorous cultivation, never once noticing Bai Lu's presence, which seemed to materialize wherever he went.

Did he harbor animosity towards Bai Lu?

In truth, he did not. He had, in fact, grown accustomed to her presence.

He was an "Iron Man," and the light blows from Bai Lu's small whip did not genuinely inflict pain; they might have even been... somewhat enjoyable.

However, he was accustomed to evading her.

Should Bai Lu were to vanish one day, he might find the absence rather unsettling.

"You... speak! Speak!"

Bai Lu furrowed her beautiful brows, the quiet alley almost becoming unbearable for her.

Shen Li tilted his head, contemplating deeply.

After nearly ten seconds of serious thought and careful wording, he earnestly posed the question: "Um, do you actually like me?"

"???"

Gu Shen, who had been sitting by Ninghe Bridge and was about to retrieve his Chi Huo to leave the pair to their own devices, couldn't help but overhear.

He absolutely had to hear one more sentence.

He nearly spat out his melon seeds in shock.

"Truly a divine being," Chu Ling sighed, commenting, "Why do I feel Shen Li is even worse with emotions than I was before my awakening?"

"Don’t sell yourself short; you’re way better than him," someone replied.

Gu Shen was dumbfounded, a mix of emotions swirling within him. "Is this guy lacking love in his destiny? Can’t even say a kind word?"

Who talks like that?

In the alley, Bai Lu's face turned red instantly, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What, what did you just say?"

"Ah..."

Shen Li scratched his head.

"Aren’t you supposed to like me?"

The moment the words left his mouth, he received a swift knee strike to the abdomen.

Thunk!

The force of the blow was immense, causing the stone walls of the entire alley to vibrate. Shen Li doubled over, coughed dryly, and nearly spat out old blood.

So ruthless!

He never anticipated Bai Lu would strike with such power. Even with the blessing of Little Iron Man, his defense was completely shattered.

"Idiot! You iron dummy!"

Bai Lu spat out the insult and stormed off in anger.

A moment later, Gu Shen arrived in the alley. Seeing the Little Iron Man sitting on the ground, clutching his stomach, he said with mock seriousness, "Honestly, I don’t feel sorry for you at all."

"No way, is that woman crazy? Hitting that hard!"

Shen Li sucked in a breath of cold air, gritting his teeth. "I was just asking, is there a problem with that? Plus, weren’t you the one who told me she was interested in me?"

"Forget what I said before..."

Gu Shen sighed deeply, patted the Little Iron Man’s shoulder, and added, "Now I think staying single forever might be good for you."

...

...

This time, summoning Shen Li wasn't purely for "matchmaking."

Gu Shen's initial intention was for these two to sort things out so he could invite them together to the Judgement Institute’s headquarters.

Bai Lu was well-regarded across the three institutes. Her mentor was Mr. Shan, and she possessed countless "friends." Hundreds, even thousands, of people visited her residence annually, an endless stream.

The current situation within the Judgement Institute was quite intricate.

Gu Shen had already acquired some understanding through Chu Ling’s files.

The two major factions, once led by Mr. Shu and Zhu Wang, no longer existed.

Senior Sister Nan Jin was stationed in Dadu District, assisting her sister’s Huazhi Group and playing a crucial role in the north-south convergence. Due to jurisdictional constraints, she predominantly resided in the Dadu and Jiangnan regions, effectively serving as the primary spokesperson for the Judgement Institute in the Jiangnan area.

Since he had "died" after falling into the Ice Sea six years prior.

The Mr. Shu faction had significantly diminished.

With the unchecked growth of Changye Court, he no longer had any "faction acquaintances."

Through Shen Li and his association with Bai Lu, Gu Shen had hoped to easily connect with some of the "youngsters" in Changye, leveraging the connections of the Bai Family Witch within the three institutes.

He had now completely abandoned that idea.

Given Shen Li’s unreliability, he naturally couldn’t approach Bai Lu alone. In truth, if he genuinely wanted to meet "youngsters" within the three-institute system, Gu Shen possessed a million alternative methods.

He simply wished to avoid troubling his former friends who had now ascended to excessively high positions.

The matchmaking endeavor yielded no results, and Gu Shen uttered no further words. He genuinely wasn't in the mood to lecture Shen Li. One could practically consider this guy prime material for an Angel Envoy...

This was merely a casual endeavor from the start.

Even without Bai Lu's involvement, it wouldn't have mattered.

Gu Shen proceeded alone to the headquarters of the Judgement Institute.

The Snow Forbidden City, while aged, was continuously expanding outward from its four boundaries. The headquarters of the three institutes had also undergone significant changes in recent years as the quantity of Extraordinary Essence within the East Continent's interior increased. Following Mr. Bai Shu's melting of the fireseed, a stabilization occurred around Changye, yet the frequency of transcendent awakenings across the entire East Continent had gradually risen.

The Deep Sea continued to absorb new transcendents, and the three institutes persisted in expanding their enrollment, rendering the old headquarters insufficient to house the vastly enlarged institutions.

Hence, the emergence of the new headquarters.

There was a peculiar irony in this situation—despite residing in Changye for so many years, Gu Shen had never once set foot in the "Judgement Institute Headquarters."

It was back then, when Zhu Wang held power, that Mr. Shu had deposited him here.

In Changye, the Grand Judge's name carried little weight.

Zhu Wang and his disciple, Han Dang, were the ones who wielded supreme judicial authority in Changye.

Gu Shen became a target of Han Dang the moment he set foot in Changye, so he would never be foolish enough to enter the Judgement Institute Headquarters only to be humiliated...

Later, after Zhu Wang and Han Dang were imprisoned, Gu Shen found no reason to seek out the headquarters for his cultivation.

After all, this towering structure was a creation by the transcendents themselves, designed for the cultivation of ordinary transcendents.

Qingzhong Cemetery and Divine Temple Mountain were referred to as a Land of Divine Miracles and a sacred ground for creation, respectively, which Mr. Gu Changzhi had reserved for his personal use.

He refined his spirit within the cemetery and absorbed the essence atop Divine Temple Mountain.

During his busy periods, even the modest courtyard of Spring Rain Temple saw him rarely.

Nearly a decade had elapsed since his initial arrival in Changye until the present moment. The ancient city persisted, unchanged, yet the human landscape and societal customs had undergone significant transformations, with the relentless march of time propelling everyone forward.

The new Judgement Institute headquarters building stood with breathtaking grandeur.

It stretched nearly a hundred floors towards the sky, its external facade adorned with a coating of Purple Silver, and the entire complex was enveloped by a gentle spirit barrier. Anyone entering or exiting would be duly noted by this barrier and their presence recorded...

Gu Shen did not attempt to mask his movements, yet he did don the Ghost Veil to alter his appearance.

His current visit to the Judgement Institute's headquarters was an intentional act of concealing his true identity. He sought to ascertain the evolution of the Judgement Institute in the six years following his supposed 'demise.'

He still vividly recalled the time in Qinghe District when Senior Sister Tian Tong guided him into the transcendent training grounds.

At that juncture, he was merely an innocent youth, entirely unaware of the world of transcendents.

Perhaps, on this occasion... he might encounter numerous impressionable youths, much like his past self?